AMPAS Invites New 928 Movie Celebrities as Members to Increase Diversity

LOS ANGELES: Academy that holds “Oscars” and other movie related awards, AMPAS has invited 928 new celebrities to increase diversity.

The effort to increase diversity has been ongoing in the Hollywood movie industry after news of racial discrimination surfaced. The Academy of Performing Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) has invited 928 celebrities as members for tackling racism.

The actors that were invited included actors like the Pakistani actor, comedian and director, Kumail Nanjiani. Nanjiani had co-written along with his wife Emily V. Gordon, “The Big Sick”. Black comedian and actress, the “Girl’s Trip” star Tiffany Haddish has also been invited as a member in the academy.

The hashtag #OscarSoWhite was making rounds on social media back in 2015 during the award ceremony.

The hashtag became popular after people claimed that the academy was racially biased in selecting nominations.

The claims were based after no colored actor was nominated in the four major categories second year in a row in 2016. Major Hollywood colored actors and directors had boycott the award ceremony that year.

2016-17 Oscars Hosts Take Jabs at Racism Situation

Even the host for 2016, Chris Rock, a black comedian and actor took a jab at the Oscars. He said that he was thinking of quitting the offer to host the award ceremony in protest. He added jokingly, that he did not because even if he did the awards would carry on anyways. Rock mentioned another black comedian, Kevin Hart, and said would hate to lose this job to him.

Even the 2017 host, late night talk show host, Jimmy Kimmel had talked on the issue along with sexual harassment.

After the #MeToo and #TimesUp had caused a huge uproar when actors alleged Hollywood director Harvey Weinstein of sexual abuse and harassment, the Academy had cancelled his membership. Kimmel spoke on racism and the academy even nominated colored actors in all four major categories that year.

If the actors that are invited accept the invitations emale membership would rise to 31 percent from the current 28 percent. While people of color would increase to 16 percent from 13 percent at AMPAS.